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Nasa unveils closest-ever photos of Sun from Parker Solar Probe

This representational image shows an artist’s rendering of the Parker Solar Probe shows the spacecraft flying into the sun’s corona on a mission to help scientists learn more about our solar system’s star. — Reuters/File

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (Nasa) Parker Solar Probe has captured unprecedented images of the sun from just 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometres) away, revealing vital clues about the origins of the solar wind and its impact on Earth.

According to Live Science, the breathtaking photos, taken during a flyby on December 24, 2024, are providing scientists with a clearer understanding of the solar wind — a constant stream of charged particles emitted from the sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona.

This flow of matter creates space weather phenomena, ranging from beautiful auroras to powerful electromagnetic events that can disrupt power grids and threaten spacecraft.

The new data is particularly significant for solving a long-standing mystery regarding the slow solar wind, which is denser and more unpredictable than its faster counterpart.

Researchers have long struggled to understand how the solar wind is generated and how it escapes the sun’s immense gravity.

“The big unknown has been: how is the solar wind generated, and how does it manage to escape the Sun’s immense gravitational pull?” said Nour Rawafi, the project scientist for Parker Solar Probe at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.

“Understanding this continuous flow of particles, particularly the slow solar wind, is a major challenge.”

The Parker Solar Probe’s latest pass was able to confirm a key hypothesis: the slow solar wind consists of two distinct types — Alfvénic and non-Alfvénic.

The images are helping scientists pinpoint the origins of these streams, suggesting Alfvénic winds may emerge from coronal holes in cooler regions, while non-Alfvénic winds could be released from hot magnetic loops called helmet streamers.

“We don’t have a final consensus yet, but we have a whole lot of new intriguing data,” said Adam Szabo, Parker Solar Probe mission scientist at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland, in the statement.

The Parker Solar Probe, which was launched in 2018, is the first spacecraft to have entered the sun’s corona. It is equipped with advanced scientific instrumentation, including the Wide Field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR), the unmanned probe endures extreme temperatures and radiation to collect data.

The probe will continue its mission and is expected to next pass its perihelion — the closest point to the sun’s surface — on September 15.

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July 12, 2025
The Best Deals Today: Apple AirPods Pro 2, Split Fiction, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and More

We’ve rounded up the best deals for Saturday, July 12, below, so don’t miss out on these limited-time offers.

Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $149

AirPods Pro 2 Noise Canceling Earbuds

Apple AirPods Pro 2 are still $100 off after Prime Day, and it’s hard to argue that there is any other deal better than this right now. For $149, you are getting some of the best and most convenient earbuds out there, which are perfect for taking calls, listening to music, and so much more.

Split Fiction

Split Fiction Playstation 5 (PS5)

Split Fiction is still one of my favorite games of 2025 for many reasons, but above all else, it’s an unforgettable time with a friend. This co-op adventure stars two writers, Mio and Zoe, as they traverse through their stories that have come to life thanks to a company called Rader Publishing. If you’ve been looking for a new co-op experience, it’s hard to find any co-op game better than Split Fiction this year.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – PlayStation 5

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II released this February, following the story of a young man named Henry who seeks to avenge his parents. This is the lowest we’ve seen the game since release, so it’s a great time to pick up a copy. In our 9/10 review, we wrote, “Armed with excellent melee combat and an exceptional story, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one part sequel and one part coronation, bringing a lot of the original’s ideas to fruition.”

Save Big on Samsung Gaming Monitors

SAMSUNG 32” Odyssey QD-OLED G8 (G80SD) Series 4K UHD Smart Gaming Monitor

SAMSUNG 49-Inch Odyssey G9 (G95SD) Series OLED Curved Gaming Monitor

Woot has two excellent Samsung gaming monitors on sale this weekend, and you can save up to $900! The first monitor we recommend is the 32″ Samsung Odyssey G8, which is fitted with a QD-OLED panel and supports a refresh rate of 240Hz. This monitor is best for the richest visuals, as the OLED technology allows for true blacks. On the other hand, the Samsung G9 49″ Curved OLED Gaming Monitor is a beast that will instantly transform any setup. While this monitor is normally $1899.99, you can score it for just $999.99 this weekend.

Donkey Kong Bananza Out This Week

Donkey Kong Bananza – Nintendo Switch 2

Donkey Kong Bananza is out this week, so now is the time to lock in your copy. Bananza is set to be DK’s biggest adventure yet, and this time, he’s joined by a young Pauline. The two are tasked with heading to the very core of the planet, where wishes are supposedly granted. If you are looking for the next big game on Nintendo Switch 2, this right here is sure to be it.

Request A Nintendo Switch 2 Invitation on Amazon

Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle

“Request invite” is now available.

Nintendo Switch 2

Amazon has at last listed the Nintendo Switch 2, and you can request an invite to purchase the console now. Once you are selected, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the system to your cart and purchase it. There is no telling when these invites will run out, so I recommend requesting one, even if you might purchase the Switch 2 elsewhere.

Splatoon 3 for $39

Splatoon 3 – Nintendo Switch [Physical] – U.S. Version

Splatoon 3 just recently received a Nintendo Switch 2 update, so there has never been a better time to jump in! This action-packed game has a ton of content to explore, and the multiplayer modes never get old. In our 9/10 multiplayer review, we wrote, “Splatoon 3 takes everything that Splatoon 2 built and makes it greater with an abundance of smart changes and satisfying new weapons and bosses.”

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July 12, 2025
Dress to Impress July 12 Update (2025) – All Details and Patch Notes – Dress To Impress Guide
The first Dress to Impress weekly update is here, and it adds some quality-of-life changes and fixes, adjustments, and more. This page lists everything added in the DTI weekly update on July 12, 2025, including the official Dress to Impress patch notes.
DTI July 12, 2025 Update Patch Notes

Below are the Dress to Impress July 12 update patch notes, via the in-game changelog:

New mini seashells quest. Find the seashells hidden in the lobby and put them in the secret room to get the new Seashell Crown!

New fairer voting system. If you vote too many people low or unfair votes, your stars are reduced for unfair voting.

Dressing Room Categorization to make item filtering easier.

New Photo Booth room in freeplay recording studio!

STYLE SHOWDOWN update next weekend!!

Everything Added in the July 12 Dress to Impress Update

Here’s more detail on the new additions in the July 12 DTI update:

Mini Seashells Quest

There’s a new mini quest in which you must collect three seashells in the Lobby and deposit them in a hidden room. If you do so before the Intermission timer runs out, you’ll unlock the Seashell Crown.

For an exact walkthrough on how to unlock the Seashell Crown, including all three seashell locations and how to get into the hidden room, head to our How to Get the Seashell Crown – All Seashell Locations guide.

Fairer Voting System

When voting other players’ outfits in the voting round, the system will now detect whether you’re deliberately voting players too low or too high consistently. If you’re found to be playing unfairly, you’ll have stars deducted from your final score.

Dressing Room Categories

When using the Dressing Room, you’ll now see tabs you can click through to sort your clothes and accessories easier, including tabs for dresses, accessories, and more.

The DTI Summer Update is currently underway. You can find out more in the following guides:
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July 12, 2025
Evans heads Wehrlein home in Berlin as standings leader Rowland fails to finish

The polesitter led the vast majority of the race in controlled fashion, stretching his lead when required and steering through a couple of spells under the Safety Car with enough in-hand to hold off a late charge from Wehrlein.

The German scrapped his hardest for every last point – knowing Rowland had non-scored, with the Brit slipping up in a late move at the hairpin, incurring race-ending damage to his Nissan in the process.

RESULTS: The full classification for the 2025 Hankook Berlin E-Prix Round 13

Try as he might, Wehrlein couldn’t outstrip the New Zealander, who held fast for a first win – and his first points – since the Sao Paulo opener. He now ties the all-time win record of 14 with Sebastien Buemi.

Wehrlein did secure the fastest lap of the race, though, and closed the gap to Rowland to 50 points with 87 still on offer over the final three rounds of Season 11.

That second spot would also boost Porsche in the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ battle and it could have been even better for the Stuttgart manufacturer had Antonio Felix da Costa not incurred the wrath of the stewards late on for an overly-aggressive move on Jake Hughes (Maserati MSG Racing) – demoting the Portuguese from third to 10th via a five-second penalty and ending his Drivers’ charge in the process.

That sees Porsche 30 points clear of Nissan in the Teams’ and five points ahead of the Japanese marque in the Manufacturers’ running.

We’re back tomorrow with Round 14 from the Tempelhof Airport Circuit in Berlin. Can Rowland convert? Or will Wehrlein take the title fight to London?

As it happened…

With the rain finally abating but the track still slippery, Evans led the pack away with standings leader Rowland slipping to fifth as the field ran four wide through the first turn.

A Safety Car was required almost immediately for the recovery of Jake Dennis’ stranded Andretti, which initially failed to get off the line at lights out before a reset saw him join the back of the pack for the restart.

Leader Evans headed straight for his first of two mandatory 50kW four-wheel drive ATTACK MODE boosts on the restart on Lap 3, with Frijns temporarily inheriting P1 before the Kiwi swooped by to once again hit the front just a few turns later. He led the Dutchman, da Costa – who’d also jumped for ATTACK, Guenther, Rowland, Vergne, Wehrlein, Mortara, Ticktum and Hughes.

Wehrlein activated his first ATTACK on Lap 4 to make use of that extra power and traction, allowing the German to clamber up to fourth come Lap 5 just behind Guenther, da Costa and leader Evans with Frijns slipping back by some eight seconds in the tricky conditions.

The Porsche driver made a move for P3 stick on Guenther at Turn 6 a lap later. Standings leader Rowland eventually went late for ATTACK on Lap 7, having to work his way up the top 10 from P9 as it stood on Lap 8. The Yorkshireman managed to clamber to sixth before his first ATTACK MODE expired on Lap 10.

Wehrlein took P2 into the penultimate turn on Lap 11, with da Costa backing P3 Frijns into his teammate’s grasp, allowing Wehrlein to scamper away from the hairpin ahead of the pair though Evans was some four seconds up the road out front.

Frijns took third from da Costa into Turn 2 on Lap 15 with a smart move up the inside of the Porsche.

The PIT BOOST window opened with Guenther the first of the leaders to take on his 10% energy boost. Rowland had worked his way up to P3 behind his nearest title rival Wehrlein, though 14 seconds back and inherited the lead, temporarily as PIT BOOST stops continued. Evans, on Lap 24, jumped into the pits from P1 with Wehrlein matching him up, stopping on the same lap.

Rowland followed on Lap 25 and came out of PIT BOOST in ninth spot – a net loss of three spots through the stops.

Once it all shook out, Evans retained the lead from Wehrlein, Vergne, Guenther, Frijns, da Costa, Mortara, Rowland, Hughes and Barnard. A coming-together between Beckmann and Sette Camara saw the Safety Car make another appearance – the Brazilian looking as though he should have yielded as he rejoined from the ATTACK MODE activation zone.

The Green Flag flew on Lap 33, with Evans getting the jump on the pack, allowing him to take ATTACK and retain the lead in the process. Huge drama struck the restart as Rowland was spat out into a spin in contact with Vandoorne after a botched move at the hairpin – the Nissan taking race ending damage in the process. A none score for the standings leader the best news for the Porsche of reigning champion Wehrlein.

Wehrlein jumped for ATTACK on Lap 35, and retained second, some five seconds back from leader Evans. The German closed to within a second of Evans as his 50kW boost came to an end – it became a three-lap scrap to the finish.

The Porsche had closed to within 0.5 seconds of the Jaguar, but Wehrlein went in too deep through the final turn on the penultimate lap – the chance of the win blown, allowing Evans to hold on and seal victory.

SCHEDULE: Where, when and how to watch or stream the 2025 Hankook Berlin E-Prix Rounds 13 & 14

Free Practice 1: 16:00 local (14:00 UTC), Friday 11 July
Free Practice 2: 09:00, (07:00 UTC) Saturday 12 July
Qualifying: 11:20 (09:20 UTC), Saturday 12 July
Round 13: 16:00 (14:00 UTC), Saturday 12 July

Free Practice 3: 09:00, (07:00 UTC) Sunday 13 July
Qualifying: 11:20 (09:20 UTC), Sunday 13 July
Round 14: 16:00 (14:00 UTC), Sunday 13 July

Find out more

CALENDAR: Sync the dates and don’t miss a lap of Season 11

WATCH: Find out where to watch every Formula E race via stream or on TV in your country

TICKETS: Secure your grandstand seats and buy Formula E race tickets

SCHEDULE: Here’s every race of the 2024/25 Formula E season

HIGHLIGHTS: Catch up with every race from all 10 seasons of Formula E IN FULL

PREDICTOR: Get involved, predict race results and win exclusive prizes

HOSPITALITY: Experience Formula E and world class motorsport as a VIP

FOLLOW: Download the Formula E App on iOS or Android

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July 12, 2025
Mysterious Signals From Deep Space Hint at Something Brutal, Scientists Say

Astronomers believe they’ve uncovered the source behind mysterious cosmic signals known as fast X-ray transients (FXTs) — and it adds a grim twist to our understanding of the death of stars.

Right as a massive star explodes in a supernova, it unleashes a tremendously energetic stream of particles called a jet, producing a gamma ray burst — one of the most powerful explosions in the universe. The rest of the star, typically, collapses into a black hole.

But a pair of new studies suggests that this last gasp by a star before winking out of existence can get “trapped” by some of the star’s own remains, slamming the door shut on the jet so it can’t fully shine.

“As the jet is being launched, that extra material from the star that didn’t collapse into the black hole [interacts] with the jet in such a way that sort of suppresses the jet from actually breaking out of the outer layers,” Jillian Rastinejad, an astronomer at Northwestern University and lead author of one the two studies set to published in the The Astrophysical Journal Letters, told Gizmodo.

That produces the weaker X-ray emissions, in the form of an FXT, which can last from seconds to hours.

The nickname astronomers have for these weakened blasts is nearly as brutal as the catastrophic event itself: a “failed” jet.

According to the findings, FXTs arise from a type of stellar explosion called a Type Ic supernova, which occurs in stars that have long shed their outermost layers of hydrogen and helium.

Because of their ephemeral nature and the extreme distance of most detected FXTs to date, pinpointing their origins has been a challenge for astronomers.

Rastinejad and her team’s breakthrough came when data collected in the Einstein Probe, an X-ray telescope program run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the European Space Agency, revealed an FXT that was unusually close to Earth — a mere 2.8 billion light years away.

Dubbed EP 250108a, telescopes including the Keck Observatory in Hawai’i and the James Webb Space Telescope rushed to extensively image the X-ray burst in multiple wavelengths, collecting infrared and optical data.

“It’s important to note that X-ray data alone cannot tell us what phenomena created an FXT,” Rastinejad said in a statement about the work. “Rapid observations of the location of the FXT at optical and infrared wavelengths are key to identifying the aftermath of an FXT and assembling clues to its origin.”

With that wealth of data, the astronomers were able to observe how the signal evolved over time. Over the course of several weeks, the stunted supernova increased in brightness before eventually fading. The brief peak in brightness allowed the astronomers to determine that the blast was a Type Ic supernova — and one that was clearly lacking a gamma ray burst.

This has profound implications for our understanding of a star’s demise, because according to the work, with sufficiently large stars — the one that produced EP 250108a is estimated to be between 15 to 30 times heavier than the Sun — the full-blown gamma ray bursts we’ve come to equate with supernovas may not actually be the norm.

Instead, Rastinejad said, “this ‘trapped’ jet outcome is more common in massive star explosions than jets that successfully emerge from the star.”

More on space: Astronomers Capture First-Ever Image of Star That Exploded Twice

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July 12, 2025
Eating eggs may improve heart health, longevity: study – Samaa TV
1. Eating eggs may improve heart health, longevity: study Samaa TV
2. Are Eggs Really Bad for Your Heart? What You Need to Know Right as Rain by UW Medicine
3. How many eggs should you eat per day? Latest research has surprising answers Times of India
4. How Many Eggs Should You Really Eat Per Day? The Latest Research Has Surprising Answers The Daily Galaxy
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July 12, 2025
‘Black Death’ strain back? Arizona reports first death since 2007

‘Black Death’ in Arizona: A resident of north Arizona died from pneumonic plague, marking the first death in the region in 18 years. The last death was reported in 2007, when an individual had contact with a dead animal infected with the disease, health officials said on Friday.

Plague, once known as the “Black Death” that nearly wiped out half of Europe’s population, is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis – with two main clinical forms of plague infection — bubonic and pneumonic, as per the World Health Organization (WHO).

It is now rare in humans and treatable with antibiotics.

‘Patient did not recover’

On Friday, the Arizona patient, however, did not recover despite ‘appropriate initial management,’ and ‘attempts to provide life-saving resuscitation,’ reported NBC News.

Rapid tests of the Arizona patient suggested that the person was infected with the same bacteria Yersinia pestis — that causes pneumonic and bubonic plague.

The patient from Coconino County visited Arizona’s Flagstaff Medical Center Emergency Department and died there the same day, NBC News reported, citing a statement by Northern Arizona Healthcare.

What is pneumonic plague

Pneumonic plague is a severe lung infection caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium.

Pneumonic plague, which spreads to the lungs from other untreated forms of plague, is the most serious and is usually rare.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pneumonic plague “develops when bacteria spread to the lungs of a patient with untreated bubonic or septicemic plague, or when a person inhales infectious droplets coughed out by another person or animal with pneumonic plague.”

The UK government has said that plague no longer exists in the nation, and the chances of it occurring in a country is “very low,” reported BBC.

What are the other forms of plague

The causative bacterium of pneumonic plague — Yersinia pestis — also causes bubonic plague.

Apart from pneumonic plague, there are different forms of plague, which includes the bubonic plague. It is the most common form of plague, and spreads through the bite of an infected flea.

Symptoms of bubonic plague

Symptoms of the bubonic plague in humans typically appear within two to eight days after exposure and may include fever, chills, headache, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes.

Prevention measures include using a DEET-based insect repellent to protect against flea bites, avoiding contact with dead animals, infected tissues or materials, and avoiding close contact with patients who have the symptoms, and crowded areas where recent cases have been reported.

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July 12, 2025
Jeff Lynne cancels final live show over health concerns | Music

Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) frontman Jeff Lynne has cancelled what had been billed as his final ever performance owing to ill health.

Lynne was due to appear at the BST Hyde Park festival series on Sunday night, closing what had been the band’s farewell “Over and Out” tour, 55 years since the band formed.

A spokesperson for the concerts said he had a “systemic infection”. They added Lynne would not be able to reschedule.

The decision comes days after the 77-year-old axed a concert in Manchester shortly before he was scheduled to come out on stage.

He had appeared on stage in Birmingham in a home town send-off a week ago, but was unable to play his trademark guitar owing to a broken wrist, suffered during a taxi crash in London.

A statement from BST Hyde Park said: “Jeff Lynne is heartbroken to report that he will not be able to perform at tomorrow’s BST Hyde Park show.

“Jeff has been battling a systemic infection and is currently in the care of a team of doctors who have advised him that performing is simply not possible at this time nor will he be able to reschedule.

“The legacy of the band and his longtime fans are foremost in Jeff’s mind today – and while he is so sorry that he cannot perform, he knows that he must focus on his health and rehabilitation at this time.”

Lynne had previously described the Hyde Park gig, where he would be performing alongside fellow Brummie Steve Winwood and US rock group the Doobie Brothers, as a fitting way to end his career.

He had begun his return to touring with a concert at the park in central London in 2014.

Lynne had said: “It seems like the perfect place to do our final show. We couldn’t be more excited to share this special night in London with our UK fans.”

If he does not play in front of live audiences again, it would bring an end to a career that took in No 1 albums with ELO, which he founded with the drummer Bev Bevan and the vocalist Roy Wood in 1970.

The band split in 1986, with Lynne saying he had lost interest. Bevan forming his own band, ELO Part II.

Apart from a brief comeback in 2001, Lynne did not play with ELO until 2014, with the band rebranded as Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra along with longtime band member, the pianist Richard Tandy.

Tandy died in 2024 and Lynne carried on as the final original member of the band still a part of the group.

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July 12, 2025
Skeleton world No.1 Matt Weston feels “pressure” to win Olympic gold at Milano Cortina 2026

Weston finished 15th on his Olympic debut at Beijing 2022, just two years after making his World Cup debut. Since then, he has become a dominant force in the sport, winning European and World Championship titles in quick succession.

Reflecting on his rise, Weston said: “That first world title was unexpected. I was still the underdog. But the next season I became the guy with the target on my back. It was tough, but I’ve grown to enjoy that role.”

With training stints planned in Norway, Austria, and Italy, Weston is clear about his goal: “I’m looking to come home with the gold medal.”

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July 12, 2025
Does Exercise Actually Improve Mental Health? – SciTechDaily
1. Does Exercise Actually Improve Mental Health? SciTechDaily
2. Does exercise really improve mental health? UGA Today
3. How, where, why you work out may be more important than the amount of exercise you get Griffin Daily News
4. THE FIT LIFE: What Your Brain Really Wants From Your Workouts Gwinnett Daily Post
5. FIU study points the way to building mental toughness and enjoying exercise southfloridahospitalnews.com
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July 12, 2025